Revamp of USF, Intercarrier Comp Raises Fears of Pressure to Combine Rural Telcos

摘要

Rural telcos and state regulators worry that the coming overhaul of universal service and nintercarrier compensation will prompt consolidation among the carriers. "The FCC certainly nindicated their view that there could be benefits to consolidation,” said NTCA Policy Director nJosh Seidemann. A rulemaking notice from the commission asks whether companies should nshare switching support, he said. Some rural telecom officials read that as an indication that ntheir operations should be merged, Seidemann said. After hearing an Iowa regulator discuss nat an FCC workshop the difficulties in regulating more than 140 telcos in the state, AT&T Vice nPresident Bob Quinn asked whether “we really need” so many small telcos in nIowa. Commission aides have made similar statements in ex parte meetings, a rural telecom nofficial told us.